Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker near Amatlan de Los Reyes in the state of Veracruz a group of women is helping migrants from Central America who are trying the long and perilous journey to the United States on board freight trains Their mission serves those making the perilous journey on “La Bestia”According to the United States Customs and Border Protection the number of migrants crossing into the U.S a development thought to be an effect of President Donald J Trump’s crackdown on illegal border crossings and unauthorized stays in the country Illegal border crossings into the American Southwest decreased by 40 percent in February at a time of year when they normally spike 10 to 20 percent have risked their lives in a variety of ways And one of the biggest risks is the mode of transportation they take: a network of freight trains that have come to be known collectively as La Bestia—the Beast riding La Bestia is not simply a matter of hopping into an empty boxcar also known as el tren de muerte—the train of death—has been controlled by armed gangs that demand fees to board as well as being pushed off the train while it is moving if they fall asleep or faint for lack of nutrition on the long journey A series of migrant refuge and assistance stations has sprung up over the years has been serving meals and hospitality for 22 years now French photojournalist Mahé Elipe visited Las Patronas and documented its work in this series of photos Las Patronas is the feminine form of “the bosses” in Spanish and the women who work here are masters of efficiency But they are also “patrons” of those in need did so after seeing the train one day and noticing a man who “didn’t have water or food So at the beginning she just took vegetables from her garden.” The group grew and converted an old factory into a hostel and kitchen a daily run to a generous supermarket gives the women the raw materials they need for the day: rice They cook and prepare individual care packages They refill used plastic bottles with a precious commodity for someone who will be on the train for days: water And then they bring it all to the side of the tracks and wait “You never know when the train is coming and how many people you can find on it,” Elipe said requiring volunteers to run up in such a way so the men can grab the food packages and bottles They usually have no more than five minutes for the hand-off is a place of rest for anyone who needs to interrupt his journey Medical doctors might be available to provide checkups or treatments so migrants’ families back home can get an update on their loved ones Of the migrants Elipe had a chance to observe They are not really happy to leave their country They have all the family and all their history there They are looking for a better political and economical situation so that’s why they have to move.” Elipe came away impressed with the work las patronas do especially compared to the mixed reaction she has seen her fellow countrymen give Middle Eastern refugees in recent years even when people don’t have a lot of money the help that they give to people,” she said Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. 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You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Temperature increases due to climate change are having negative effects on coffee growing in Mexico there are 30 thousand hectares of land dedicated to coffee and estimates show that 58% of coffee production would end by 2040 The community living in Amatlan de los Reyes is the highest at-risk population since they risk losing 100% of their coffee production and annual income The United Kingdom’s Partnership for Accelerated Climate Transitions Programme (UK PACT) is supporting communities like Amatlan de los Reyes to mitigate against climate change by promoting sustainable coffee farming This support focuses on giving coffee plants life-saving shade to protect them against higher temperatures Providing coffee plants with a canopy of tree shade has many other benefits the new trees capture carbon emissions and increase communities’ incomes medicinal ingredients and sustainable wood All of this contributes to wider forest and habitat preservation UKPACT is supporting communities like Amatlan de los Reyes to mitigate against climate change by promoting sustainable coffee farming Dr Robert Hunter Manson from Mexico’s Institute of Ecology explains another serious problem stemming from climate change: Rising temperatures are increasing infestations of a pest called coffee rust and is accelerating its life cycle from two to ten infestations per year preserving the natural ecosystems of the mountain cloud forests of Veracruz is important because it is extremely rich in diversity of species Even though it accounts for one percent of Mexican territory it is home to ten percent of the country’s flora This makes it a perfect place to conduct a selection of trees as part of this UKPACT project scientists from Mexico’s National University (UNAM) and the UK Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew assessed almost 2,000 tree species for their ability to improve coffee farming sustainability in Veracruz This resulted in a pre-selection of 50 species that have dense and perennial foliage to provide shade The coffee-growing communities of Huatusco and Teocelo ProNatura Veracruz led several workshops where women and men voiced their opinions about the utility and value with each pre-selected tree species This included other aspects such as usefulness in cooking The communities also explained how some of the trees are important symbols in ancestral beliefs As part of the group decisions seven tree species were selected for the next phase of the project UNAM scientists calculate that for every hectare planted with these trees six tonnes of CO2 will be removed from the environment per year This is equivalent to the annual CO2 released while powering an average Mexican home participated in the last workshop and heard how the communities will benefit from this initiative shade coffee is better quality with a richer flavour and fetches higher prices in coffee markets This project has changed the way we think about the relationship between trees and our coffee plants Now we know that the trees are essential and we have to preserve them We also know that trees with more foliage provide more shade and reduce pest infestations I want my grandchildren to benefit from the trees I am going to plant on my land This makes me feel proud and I also feel proud to be a woman producer This initiative has produced training materials such as a written guide and videos available online to allow other communities to replicate this work in other parts of Mexico and anywhere in the world that coffee is produced The partnership between the UK and Mexico will continue to strengthen the technical skills of the coffee-farming communities in Veracruz improving their livelihoods while helping to mitigate the effects of climate change Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.